So I've made my list, I've checked it twice and I only picked from shows that are still currently on the air (what's the point of recommending a show you can't watch anymore, why torture you?). Here are my picks for the 10 best primetime shows on network television (remember cable shows don't have to play by the same rules, so they don't get to play in this reindeer game).
1.
"Everwood": Okay, I'm going to give you a moment to let this sink in. Everybody with me? Other shows may have more intricate and intriguing mysteries that send fans scrambling to the message boards and hip stars to grace the cover of magazines. But there is no single drama that so delicately dances the dance of a stellar family drama better than "Everwood." A nuanced series not afraid to have their characters make unlikable choices and even have them be downright unlikable (could Ephram have been more cranky this season?). A series that understands fractured family relationships and the ongoing effort to repair them. That the problems of teens are of equal importance as the problem of adults (it is, after all, a matter of perspective). That you never truly get over the loss of a parent. A show that so easily welcomes new members into its family that I forget they haven't always been there (I cannot imagine the show without Hannah). A show that makes me laugh and cry, that I miss the most over hiatus and that seems to get stronger with each passing episodes. My first vacation stop on the TV Gal Fantasy Tour is to Everwood (breakfast at Sam's on me!).
2.
"Lost": You know what I love about "Lost"? That they have so many multiple storylines brewing that they can put something on the backburner to simmer, like say the need to push that button every 108 minutes, while they deal with Jack's past love life or Locke's heartless father. We clamored to know what was in that blasted hatch and they told us (Desmond, I hope we see you in another episode, brother). A show so complex and layered that we almost might forget we need to know what Kate did until they tell us. In its superb second season, "Lost" continues to surprise us in small ways (Kate and Jack kiss), average ways (Bernard is alive. He's alive.) and big ways (um, did Walt just IM his dad?) while dropping little Easter eggs for eagle-eyed viewers along the way (hey, is that Sayid on the TV is Kate's flashback?) and pulling bait and switches (Dr. Arzt explosive demise). As I stated in last week's column, every week I declare a new character to be my favorite (except of course for the mandatory deduction for Ana Lucia) which is a testament to the show's superb acting.
3.
"Arrested Development": You know how Aaron Sorkin had "Sports Night" before the commercial success of "The West Wing"? And J.J. Abrams was dealing with "Felicity" before he hit it big with "Alias" and even bigger with "Lost"? Well I've become rather philosophical about "Arrested Development." Perhaps this only means that Mitch Hurwitz has a bigger and more hilarious show in store for us. But the problem with this new and improved Zen theory is I don't know how that is possible. How can anything be more hilarious than the no-holds-barred freedom "Arrested Development" unabashedly demonstrates in every episode. More than ever they assume their audience is smart enough to get the joke and let it fly from there. Better to have watched and loved "Arrested Development" than to never watch the series at all.
4.
"Veronica Mars": Last week I praised Jason Dohring who so brilliantly pulls off simultaneously being sinister, sexy and a wounded puppy. But a series like "Veronica Mars" doesn't work unless we believe scrappy, petite, blonde title character battling the forces of evil or at least the really wealthy residents of Neptune. Like "Lost," "Veronica Mars" deftly combines stand alone episodes with an ongoing and engrossing season-long story line. In many ways, the proof is in the plotline in the second season. Is a show really this great? Or was it all hype and a dream? "Veronica Mars" is the real thing.
5.
"My Name Is Earl": A show with a simple premise -- mustached man tries to right his wrongs -- and a brilliant execution. Even the throwaway lines are hilarious. And clearly I have "always made fun of Jamie Pressley's acting" on my list and I need to make amends for that right now. Like the rest of the cast, Pressley approaches her role with a brazen delight.
6.
"Without a Trace": The best procedural drama in prime time continues to reinvent its own format. The episode told from the perspective of the parents of a missing child showed that perhaps our favorite FBI agents aren't always as supportive as we perceive them to be. The woman with amnesia gave new meaning to the term "missing person." And it remains the only procedural crime drama that can seamlessly integrate the character's personal lives (Jack's father, Martin's addiction to prescription pain medication) without making it seem like a clunky afterthought.
7.
"Everybody Hates Chris": The most poignant sitcom on television. Rock, who is known for his blunt humor, doesn't shy away from controversial topics, race-related humor or taboo words. There are some social messages here, but laughs are the priority.
8.
"24": Oh, how I loved the final shot of Jack walking off into the sunrise, a renegade to be reckoned with. Only "24" could pull off such an over-the-top ending. I remember when "24" first premiered the big concern was how could this show ever have a season two. And here we are on the brink of season five. Run, Jack, run.
9.
"Scrubs": There's no annoying laugh track, no live studio audience and no mugging for the camera after a particularly witty line. In fact, it's only because I'm always laughing so hard that I know this is a comedy. Will "Scrubs" finally get the treatment it deserves when it returns on Tuesday, Jan. 3? We can only hope.
10.
"Gilmore Girls": I'm not going to lie to you. I'm worried about this whole "Luke, I am your daughter" story line. But week after week, I don't want to miss seeing my girls. And no other show is so adept at making even the most minor character delightful.
Honorable Mentions "How I Met Your Mother": For breathing new life into the traditional four-camera sitcom."The West Wing": For having the best revival and proving it's not over until you say it is. "Grey's Anatomy": For being the best guilty pleasure on TV. "Alias": For being interesting enough the first four years that I'm hanging on for the final season."The Office": For being so uncomfortable to watch, but still making me laugh. What do you think were the 10 best network shows of 2005? Talk about it on the message board. Quotes of the Week "It's like we worked together before or something." Jack (Bradley Cooper) to Michel (Michael Vartan) on "Kitchen Confidential." Thanks to Nancy for being the first to nominate this very popular quote. "I wished you'd let me in on the game. I can act you know. I won an Emmy." Denny to Alan on "Boston Legal." "Hell hath no fury like a girl whose non-boyfriend screws a nurse." Cristina to Izzie on "Grey's Anatomy." Thanks to Devin and Gavin for the quote. "Pat, can you see here I'm holding a baby hostage? I will call back." Lynette (Felicity Huffman) to her secretary on "Desperate Housewives." "What does keep young Dr. Reid up at night? Memorizing some obscure text books? No, no, no. Working on cold fusion? No, I've got it, watching 'Star Trek' and laughing at the physics mistakes." Morgan to Dr. Reid on "Criminal Minds." Thanks to Andrew for the quote. "I'm going to be a grandfather. A very young grandfather." Jack to his MI-6 contact on "Alias." Thanks to Jacquie for the quote. "They're worse than tough. They're popular." Andy about Delia's friends on "Everwood." Where Have I Seen Them Before? Everyone recognized Brett Butler, the Grace in "Grace Under Fire," as Joy's mother on "My Name Is Earl." Tom recognized a slew of familiar faces on "Law & Order: SVU." Dorothy Lyman was the principal. Tom remembered Lyman as Naomi on Mama's Family but I'll always remember her as Opal from "All My Children." Mary Beth Peil, Jen's Grams on "Dawson's Creek," was the grandmother. Tracey recognized Mitch Pileggi, ADA Skinner on "The X-Files," was one of the disaster doctors on "Nip/Tuck." Highlights of the Week Ahead
All times listed are Eastern Standard for Dec. 12 to 18 Cynthia Nixon guest stars as patient with -- what else? -- inexplicable symptoms on "House" (Tuesday, FOX, 9 p.m.). I'm torn about "Boston Legal" (Tuesday, ABC, 10 p.m.). I'm delighted to see more of Mark Valley, but did we really need another member of the firm breaking the law? Many of you have asked why I have not talked about the fact that "Alias" (Wednesday, ABC, 10 p.m.) will be ending its run this season. Primarily it's because I expected it. The show does seem to be running on fumes now -- a shadow of its former self. But I have to keep watching. Especially this week when Michael Vartan returns. Sure he may be back only in Syd's dreams (and in ours) but the show hasn't been the same since Vaughn died. I'll take what I can get. Oh and I would like to formally request the return of Francie, Weiss and Will before "Alias" ends its run. Thanks ever so. That's all for today. I'll be back next week with the third Best of 2005 columns -- the 10 Best TV Moments of 2005. Email me your nominations for the best moments and the best quotes of 2005. Have a question, seen a familiar face, have an inside scoop or want to nominate a quote of the week? Write me at amytvgal@zap2it.com by clicking on my byline at the top of my column. 
